SA's Top Film Industry Event, Durban FilmMart Draws 1057 Delegates To Virtual Platform

SA's Top Film Industry Event Draws 1057 Delegates to Virtual Platform

10 Sep 2020
The Durban FilmMart Institute is pleased to announce that the 11th Durban FilmMart virtual edition reached its halfway mark on Tuesday, 8 September with 1057 delegates registered.

“Our film co-production and finance market, through this edition has made its mark in solidifying its position as the most important platform on the continent for development and birthing of the content for African cinema,” says Head of the Durban FilmMart, Toni Monty. “We made a bold call to go virtual this year and not wait for a post-pandemic physical event. This call was indeed heard by the industry as they have come out in full force to robustly engage with each other in this virtual space.”

Shaka The Great: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest African King

Shaka The Great
The rise and fall of the greatest African king.
 - By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

Nodumehleli!
Nodumehleli!
Nodumehleli!
lowo lapho ehlezi wenza ukuba kudume umhlaba!

(Nodumehleli means the one who when seated causes the earth to rumble.)

This is a historical fiction film project based on the melodramatic life of King Sigidi kaSenzangakhona, popularly known as Shaka Zulu, Monarch of the Zulu Kingdom. The name Shaka was a nickname given to him from his father, Senzangakhona's claim that  Shaka's beloved mother, Nandi was not pregnant but was suffering from an intestinal condition caused by the iShaka beetle. Because he wanted to cover up the truth that she was pregnant for him. 
Senzangakhona was a crown prince and Nandi was an orphaned princess and they were forbidden to marry. So,  Shaka was born as an  illegitimate child from an illicit affair. . 

The best depiction of Shaka in motion picture is the TV series, "Shaka Zulu" of 1986 directed by William C. (Bill) Faure (17 July 1949 – 18 October 1994) and with the unforgettable role of Shaka played by Henry Cele, (20 June 1941 – 2 December 2007).
A new film on the legendary phenomenon of Shaka Zulu is long overdue.
I have read the most authentic documents on his life history and I believe there should be a more comprehensive analytical feature film on his military genius and prowess as a coldblooded conquering warrior. But who idolised his beloved mother, the only woman he ever loved and whose death made him insane and quickened his untimely death by assassination in the hands of his stepbrothers. Shaka himself ascended the throne by killing his elder stepbrother, the rightful successor of their father, King Senzangakhona kaJama (c. 1762 – 1816).

Netflix Needs Cinemas and Cinemas Need Netflix

Netflix Needs Cinemas and Cinemas Need Netflix

The long months of the #lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic left movie theaters closed and millions of movie-goers had no other choice, except the Hobson's Choice of sitting in the comfort of their homes binge watching movies, series and other shows on OTT platforms and cable TV channels. Netflix, the most preferred streaming video service since 2007 attracted more subscribers than ever before. Both the major film production studios and  movie theatre chains have been apprehensive of the  popularity of Netflix and feared that it will reduce the populations of movie-goers. But they were wrong, because before the COVID-19 pandemic, movie theaters had a record breaking year in 2018 from Nigeria to North America.
The revenues from tickets sold were about US$12bilion in North America.
According to the Motion Picture Association (MPA) , the number of tickets sold was more than 1.2 billion tickets, representing a 4.8 percent increase over 2017.

Cate Blanchett Praises 77th Annual Venice International Film Festival

Opening speech of President of the Jury, Catherine Elise Blanchett., AC praising the 77th annual Venice International Film Festival organised by the La Biennale di Venezia and directed by Alberto Barbera.

People arrived at the venue on the Venice Lido in Italy wearing their facemasks, going through temperature checks and observing the rules and guidelines for social distancing. The film festival started from September 4 and will end on September 12, 2020.

It is the first international film festival to be held with physical presence of the organisers and participants in the atmosphere of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Art of Victory

One of the most viewed quotes on Twitter in January after America killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani of Iran who led Iranian covert operations and intelligence and was one of the country’s most senior leaders. His murder brought Washington and Tehran closer to a war before the global emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Only fools fight foolish wars when they ignore the wisdom of the wise.
- from one of my completed new books, "The Art of Victory" inspired by Sun Tzu's  classic "The Art of War".

77th Venice Film Festival, African Filmmakers and No Nollywood

The 77th Venice International Film Festival opened yesterday September 2, 2020 on the Venice Lido in Italy. It runs from 2 - 12 September 2020.

There are 66 films, including 21 world premières in the official selections. It is organised by La Biennale di Venezia. The Festival Director is Alberto Barbera and hosted by Anna Foglietta. Famous Hollywood diva, Australian actor, Cate Blanchett is the President of the Jury.
The festival opened with "LACCI" (THE TIES), directed by Italian filmmaker, Daniele Luchetti and the closing film will be LASCIAMI ANDARE (YOU CAME BACK) by Stefano Mordini.

"SOLICITUDE in SOLITUDE: How I Overcame the Trauma of COVID-19

COMPLETED.
 "SOLICITUDE in SOLITUDE: How I Overcame the Trauma of COVID-19"

The Health Benefits of Art Therapy have been helping millions of people during the #lockdown of the #COVID19 pandemic. And I have used my smartphone for Self-portraits in photos and videos on my moods at different times in self isolation showing my stream of consciousness.

LIGHTSEEKERS: Femi Kayode's Masterpiece

 

A respected Nigerian psychologist travels to a remote southern border town to uncover the truth about the murder of three university students

Durban FilmMart Welcomes Netflix As Programme Partner For 11th Edition

Media Release

Durban FilmMart Welcomes Netflix As Programme Partner For 11th Edition

Netflix, the World’s leading streaming entertainment service, has joined the Durban FilmMart as a new programme partner to the 11th edition of Africa’s premier film industry event which will host its virtual edition from 4 to 13 September 2020.

Netflix lead for African Originals, Dorothy Ghettuba, and Director of Licensing and Co-Productions in Africa, Ben Amadasun .

The Most Appreciated Film Writer in Nigeria

Do you know that the Alpha Man, EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima is the most appreciated film writer on #Nollywood and the film industry by filmmakers and other major stakeholders in the Nigerian film industry since 2012. He has written on the Academy Awards and Cannes Film Festival since 2008 to date and accurately predicted the winner of the Oscars for the Best Picture and Best Director in 2017 won by Guillermo del Toro for "The Shape of Water". He has also written definitive articles on Nollywood and history of the Nigerian cinema published on Indiewire and by SHADOW&ACT Author Post List https://shadowandact.com/author/MichaelChima. He wrote the widely circulated "Ghanaian Actresses Are Hotter Than Nigerian Actresses" with over 100, 000 views so far.